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California takes top three spots for most cars stolen, again

June 19, 2012

California is the state where you're most likely to get your car stolen.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau's annual report has again named California as the state in which your car is most likely to get stolen. The state has seven spots on the list of the top 10 cities, with Washington and South Carolina filling out the other three.

Fresno, Modesto and the Bakersfield area take the top three spots, respectively, unchanged from last year. Spokane, Wash., again takes number four.

Auto theft dropped 3.3 percent last year to a total of 712,816 cars taken. The top 10 list is reprinted below, with a few tips on how to avoid the dreaded empty parking spot.

2011 Rank (2010 Rank)

1. Fresno, Calif. (1)

2. Modesto, Calif. (2)

3. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif. (3)

4. Spokane, Wash. (4)

5. Yakima, Wash. (10)

6. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif. (9)

7. Stockton, Calif. (7)

8. Anderson, S.C. (33)

9. Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. (5)

10. Visalia-Porterville, Calif. (8)

Common sense: The common-sense approach to protection is the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart would-be thieves. You should always:

-- Remove your keys from the ignition.

-- Lock your doors and close your windows.

-- Park in a well-lit area.

Warning devices: The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device that alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular devices include:

-- Audible alarms

-- Steering-column collars

-- Steering-wheel/brake-pedal locks

-- Brake locks

-- Wheel locks

-- Theft deterrent decals

-- Identification markers in or on the vehicle

-- VIN etching

-- Micro-dot marking

Immobilizing device: The third layer of protection is a device that prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Some examples are:

-- Smart keys

-- Fuse cut-offs

-- Kill switches

-- Starter, ignition and fuel-pump disablers

-- Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking devices: The final layer of protection is a tracking device that emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ telematics, which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.